


James William

by msraven



Series: Alpha [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, family fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-24
Packaged: 2017-12-21 06:02:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/896684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msraven/pseuds/msraven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"James," Clint says with a smile.  "His name is James."</p><p>Or how the multi-verse creates a family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	James William

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on [my tumblr](http://msraven929.tumblr.com/) as a snippet, cleaned up and posted here because I've now written multiple follow-ons.
> 
> Set Immediately after [Alpha](http://archiveofourown.org/works/555662/chapters/990831) and part of the spiderweb of fics that came from [Yente](http://archiveofourown.org/works/538792/chapters/956871). Things will probably make more sense if you've read at least Alpha and probably Yente.

"James," Clint says with a smile. “His name is James."

The baby's eyes flutter open as if recognizing his name and Phil feels his heart stutter in his chest. 

"James William," adds Phil, returning Clint’s smile. James gurgles happily, making them both chuckle, and Phil tightens his hold around the archer. 

A female agent steps up to them with a smile and holds her hands out for the baby. “I can take her,” she offers.

“ _Him_ ,” Clint corrects and turns away from the other agent’s reaching hands. “And we’re doing just fine, thank you.”

"Do you have additional training I'm not aware of Agent Greene?" Phil asks. "Your file lists your expertise as ballistics. I was not aware you had extensive experience caring for young children."

"Um...no...no sir," Greene stammers. "I just thought -"

"Thought what, Agent?" Phil questions. "Is there a reason you believe you are more qualified than Agent Barton to care for an infant?"

Greene opens her mouth, but seems to think better of it and shakes her head. “No, sir. You’re right, sir. I’ll start evidence collection.”

The agent’s eyes stray to James as she turns to walk away and Clint, no longer feeling threatened, shifts the baby in his arms to allow Greene a better look. The woman steps forward, beaming down at James, up at Clint, and then at Phil. “He has your eyes.”

The confrontation with Greene is the first of many challenges they have in their quest to make James theirs. It takes eight months of hearings, a literal mountain of paperwork, and the combined force of Potts-Hill-Coulson before the baby officially becomes James William Barton-Coulson. But that’s not the important part.

Neither are the right-wing protesters that camp out in front of the Tower or the endless string of people who begin claiming that James is rightfully theirs. The Avengers quickly learn to ignore the first and genetic testing takes care of the second. 

What’s important is that their friends never question Clint and Phil’s immediate and unwavering claim on James. By the time they return to HQ, Fury has cleared the way with CPS - ‘child of unknown origin or species’ trumps government bureaucracy every time - and has delivered a small stack of baby gear in Phil’s office. A much larger pile of gear, clothes, and more toys than James could ever play with wait for them back at the Tower along with Pepper and the rest of the Avengers. 

Their extended family of superheroes all take to James with varying degrees of comfort, but it’s Tony whose eyes go soft and wide when Clint unceremoniously places the baby in his arms. For the first time in anyone’s memory, the billionaire-playboy-philanthropist goes perfectly still. He looks down at James with unspeakable emotion, his voice rough when he says, “We’re going to have so much fun together, little man.”

There is no question or argument when Clint and Phil choose Tony to be the baby’s godfather and, should the unthinkable happen, his guardian. A speechless Tony looks up at Natasha in surprise.

Natasha shakes her head and simply says, “I’m his protector.”

The other gathered Avengers nod their heads encouragingly at Tony, but it’s only when he meets Clint’s eyes does he understand. Steve will teach James perseverance, Bruce compassion, and Thor bravery. It’s Tony, whose childhood experience sadly matches Clint’s, that understands the need for unconditional love in James’ life. Tony agrees, Clint grins, and Phil begins dreading the chaos he knows this trio will cause.

Clint takes to fatherhood as if he’d been raising children his whole life. All of his earlier reluctance to believe he is deserving of a life filled with acceptance, love, and family is gone in the face of a beautiful child who demands all of his attention. Clint is stalwart in his belief that James belongs to them, never wavering despite the lengthy court battle and ongoing concerns about their suitability as parents. 

Phil follows his heart and follows Clint unconditionally, but being a father takes a little more work. He researches every baby site and book available, he keeps meticulous sleep and feeding charts, and he jumps every time James cries. It takes months for Clint to convince Phil to relax, although neither of them ever want to repeat the ordeal that was sleep training. 

They eventually strike the right balance for their little family, SHIELD, and the Avengers. Everyone else outside of that really doesn’t matter and they barely notice when the world eventually becomes bored of their lack of drama and moves on.

There is no scientific explanation for it, but James does have Phil's eyes and Clint's nose and jaw. They agree, after some prodding from Bruce, to test their genetics relative to James’ and the scientist is not surprised to find that the baby is a perfect combination of Clint and Phil. Clint takes the results in stride, rubbing a comforting hand on Phil’s back as his mind reels over what it could mean. 

“Thank you, Bruce,” Clint says and places a steady hand on Phil’s elbow to pull him out of the chair and out of the room. 

Clint guides them from medical to Phil’s office, shutting the door behind them. He transfers James into Phil’s arms and leaves them standing in the middle of the room before walking to the bookshelf in the corner.

“Clint. What are you doing?” Phil asks when he sees Clint take the nondescript metals sphere off the shelf. 

Clint steps back toward them without answering. He wraps one arm around Phil’s waist with James sandwiched between them and uses the other hand to cradle the sphere in the baby’s small hand, wrapping his own around one side. Clint smiles and nods toward the sphere to encourage Phil to do the same. 

Phil places a tentative hand over both of theirs, startling when the sphere begins to hum happily. James giggles and Clint grins at the awe on Phil’s face.

“How did you know?” Phil asks. “How is this possible?”

Clint shrugs. “It was a hunch and...does it matter?”

James giggles again and Phil looks at the calm radiating from Clint’s eyes. Phil shakes his head, pulling his family closer into a tighter circle.

“No, it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters but this.”

_fin_


End file.
